”Pardon，royalEgypt，”Iansweredcoldly，butwithsuchwitasIcouldsummon，”beforetheQueenofHeavenevenstarsgrowpale！”ThisIsaidofthemoon，whichisthesignoftheHolyMotherwhomCleopatradaredtorival，namingherselfIsiscometoearth。”Happilysaid，”sheanswered，clappingherwhitehands。”Why，here’sanastronomerwhohaswitandcanshapeacompliment！Nay，suchawondermustnotpassunnoted，lesttheGodsresentit。Charmion，takethisrose-chapletfrommyhairandsetituponthelearnedbrowofourHarmachis。Heshallbecrowned/KingofLove/，whetherhewillitornot。”CharmionliftedthechapletfromCleopatra’sbrowsand，bearingittowhereIwas，withasmilesetituponmyheadyetwarmandfragrantfromtheQueen’shair，butsoroughlythatshepainedmesomewhat。Shedidthisbecauseshewaswroth，althoughshesmiledwithherlipsandwhispered，”Anomen，royalHarmachis。”Forthoughshewassoverymuchawoman，yet，whenshewasangeredorsufferedjealousy，Charmionhadachildishway。
Havingthusfixedthechaplet，shecurtsiedlowbeforeme，andwiththesoftesttoneofmockerynamedme，intheGreektongue，”Harmachis，KingofLove。”ThenCleopatralaughedandpledgedmeas”KingofLove，”andsodidallthecompany，findingthejestamerryone。ForinAlexandriatheylovenotthosewholivestraitlyandturnasidefromwomen。
ButIsatthere，asmileuponmylips，andblackwrathinmyheart。
For，knowingwhoandwhatIwas，itirkedmetothinkmyselfajestforthefrivolousnoblesandlightbeautiesofCleopatra’sCourt。ButIwaschieflyangeredagainstCharmion，becauseshelaughedtheloudest，andIdidnotthenknowthatlaughterandbitternessareoftentheveilswithwhichasoreheartwrapsitsweaknessfromtheworld。”Anomen”shesaiditwas——thatcrownofflowers——andsoitprovedindeed。ForIwasfatedtobartertheDoubleDiademoftheUpperandtheLowerLandforawreathofpassion’srosesthatfadebeforetheyfullybloom，andPharaoh’sivorybedofstateforthepillowofafaithlesswoman’sbreast。”/KingofLove！/”theycrownedmeintheirmockery；ay，andKingofShame！AndI，withtheperfumedrosesonmybrow——I，bydescentandordinationthePharaohofEgypt——thoughtoftheimperishablehallsofAbouthisandofthatothercrowningwhichonthemorrowshouldbeconsummate。
Butstillsmiling，Ipledgedthemback，andansweredwithajest。Forrising，IbowedbeforeCleopatraandcravedleavetogo。”Venus，”I